In Jon Hassler’s Grand Opening, Grandpa’s rich personality remains despite aging and his age-induced struggles do not bring him down. His experience shows that aging does not have to be ugly, weak, or burdensome; aging can be delightful, interesting and wise. First of all, for Grandpa, getting older is captivating and enjoyable, he does not feel inhibited by his age. Interested in the possibility of a running train, Grandpa took action, “Grandfather took the stairs as fast as he dared and got to the front door in time to see the engineer leaning from his window before the locomotive disappeared behind the Ottmann house. Setting off at a hobbled run…” ( 24). Grandpa does not let his physical limitations bring him down. Since he is still able to function, he accepts them and…show more content… Social isolation is intensified by the onset of physical and mental degradation associated with aging. Social opportunities cannot be sought after due to lack of capability, thus isolation is heightened. Isolation is more acute in current times due to effective healthcare, which allows people to live in extreme physical or mental impairment. Additionally, sometimes physically and mentally capable people live in isolation due to lack of self-esteem. People with low self-esteem feel they are not wanted socially and are a burden to others. In Grandpa’s case, he has high self-worth and enjoys aging, which only presents him with more interesting events and people. When Grandpa wakes up in the locomotive he thinks, “Although the caboose was unfamiliar and he couldn’t remember which run he was making, he did recognize his coat hanging from a peg, so he assumed he was where he belonged… He wore a grin of blissful mischief, and as he disappeared around a curve in the tall corn he threw Catherine a kiss” (28). Grandpa lacks short term memory and often becomes caught up in his past as a brakeman. He is also not limited by his mental obstacle,
